Homeless Men and Dogs Heal Together

Steven and Anya both know what it's like to be lonely, ignored and homeless. Steven spent 30 of his past 55 years living on the streets of Boston, sleeping in subway stations, eating in shelters and surviving the bitter winters outdoors. Anya, a three-year old dog, spent most of the first two years of her life locked in a garage, neglected by her owners, until she was finally abandoned.

This dog and this human are not all that different from one another. Sure, they've had difficult pasts. And yeah, maybe the have a few trust issues. But now, they're working through them. Together.

In most cities, pets are a barrier to shelter for those without a home (with a few notable exceptions). But a smart new program out of Boston's Pine Street Inn brings pooches and people together for a mutually beneficial healing process. Neglected and stray dogs are brought to live in a transitional shelter for homeless men over 50, many of whom have been chronically homeless. The men train the dogs; teaching them how to thrive in a loving home. Simultaneously -- and often without notice, as the Boston Globe story notes -- the dogs help the formerly homeless men regain confidence, learn how to trust, and break down barriers to getting their own lives on track.

The results of this man-dog partnership will put a smile on the face of even the staunchest cat person. One elderly man in his 70s lived in the shelter for two years and barely spoke to anyone. Once he began working with the dogs, however, he finally started opening up about his life, allowing case managers to provide the medical and counseling treatment he needed. (A similar program is also working wonders in New Mexico. A partnership between a teen shelter and a Sante Fe Humane Society pet outreach program brings rescued dogs into the shelter. Outreach workers say the homeless and runaway teens relax and open up when the dogs are nearby. Some teens are then selected for internships at the Humane Society.)

Sure, dogs are not the answer for homelessness. But I think a wagging tail and floppy ears could make someone's time in a homeless shelter a little more bearable.

Photo Credit: Boston Globe